Baked Rice

Above all, Pierre preferred Uncle Ben's Converted Rice. Converted rice means the rice kernels are soaked, steamed and dried before they are milled, actually driving the water-soluble nutrients throughout the grain, making it more nutritious. After he visited Texas while working on his book Cooking in America, Pierre learned to appreciate the aromatic Jasmine rice, which can easily be substituted in this recipe. Organic chicken broth, unavailable in local supermarkets until recently, is an excellent update to this timeless recipe.

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of minced onion
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup uncooked rice
1 ½ cups chicken broth
3 sprigs of parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dry
½ bay leaf

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt half the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and stir briefly over low heat until the grains are coated with butter.
3. Stir in the stock, making sure there are no lumps in the rice. Add the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover with a close- fitting and bake for exactly 17 minutes. Remove the cover and discard the parsley, fresh thyme and bay leaf.
4. Using a two-pronged fork, stir in the remaining butter. If the rice is not to be served immediately, keep in covered in a warm place.

YIELD

4 servings